Water Development Notice

Shoalhaven Water is responsible for ensuring any impacts on Council's water and sewer infrastructure are identified and either controlled or eliminated.  

Our Water Development Notice is a consent document that is prepared and issued under the NSW Water Management Act 2000. It is an important legal document that outlines the conditions the applicant or developer must complete to secure a Certificate of Compliance prior to obtaining an Occupation Certificate or Subdivision Certificate as applicable. 

As part of the assessment of a development, Shoalhaven Water must consider:

• Hydraulic loading on the water supply and/or sewerage systems,
• Section 64 Contributions to be levied (if any),
• Augmentation of existing water supply and/or sewerage systems,
• Development impacts on the water supply and/or sewerage systems (e.g. building over sewer),
• Type of sewerage system to be implemented (gravity or pressure or both),
• Design plans that may need to be submitted and the type (e.g., water main ext., sewer main ext., conduit crossings, new junction plan, meter servicing),
• Possible impact with other services,
• Meter servicing requirements,
• Trade waste implications,
• Backflow implications,
• Easement requirements to protect existing and proposed infrastructure,
• Any other matters that affect the water supply and/or sewerage systems or their normal operation or Shoalhaven Water’s ability to maintain the system/s.

The conditions set out in the Water Development Notice must be adhered to accordingly to avoid possible penalties or having to take costly rectification measures.

Where required, an invoice will be issued to an applicant after a Water Development Notice is prepared. This must be paid prior to the Water Development Notice being issued to the applicant. 

Our Development Notice is made up of different parts and it is important to understand how each section works and what you will need to provide us.

The Notice will include the applicant details, the proposed development, the property details, and it will come with a unique development reference number. The reference number must be provided each time you make contact with us. 

The Notice will also include a list of conditions that must be adhered to as the development progresses. The conditions listed on the Notice require you and your team to take steps prior to or at key stages of the development, this may include prior to the issue of a Construction Certificate, prior to or during construction, and prior to the issue of an Occupation Certificate.

Depending on the development, examples of the imposed conditions may include:  

Prior to Demolition – temporary water meter disconnection, sewer cap-off and/or disconnection of pressure sewer inspections.

Prior to issue of Construction Certificate – Section 64 Developer Contribution payments may be required, plans and water calculations must be certified, and regulatory obligations such as backflow prevention and liquid trade waste applications must be approved.

Works must not commence without written approval from Shoalhaven Water.

Prior to Commencement of Construction Works – a Construction Certificate must be issued by the Principal Certifying Authority (PCA).  

During Construction of Works – inspections may be required including but not limited to, water meter installations, sewer main concrete encasement, backflow prevention devices, or liquid trade waste pre-treatment equipment.

Prior to issue of Occupation Certificate – supply of all relevant documentation including receipts.

Release of Subdivision Certificate – works must not commence without written approval from Shoalhaven Water.

Staged developments – larger developments may be staged with Certificate of Compliance issued as each stage progresses.

As you progress through the conditions, you may be asked to provide supporting documentation such as receipts or technical consultancy document (i.e. hydraulic reports, infrastructure plans, backflow prevention surveys or liquid trade waste treatment procedures). 

One of the most common reasons that delays occur in processing a Water Development Notice is inadequate or the lack of required information on plans and documentation. To avoid delays please ensure you have submitted all the relevant information.  

Should a modification to a development be required, an applicant must apply for an amended Development Application. Modified plans must be submitted to Shoalhaven Water for a review of the conditions/requirements listed on the Water Development Notice as they may require subsequent amendment. 

Modification of Consent falls under section 4.55 of the EP&A Act. The development you seek to modify must remain substantially the same as the development the original consent was granted for. If the application varies too much from the original consent a new DA must be lodged. Modifications can be time consuming and cost additional fees. Getting the intended outcome right in the initial DA is much easier.

To request a modification to a Water Development Notice, please email council@shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au

For further information on Planning & Building, visit the NSW Government Planning Portal. 

If you require information relating to your Shoalhaven Water Development Notice, call us on 02 4429 3214 or email swdevelopment@shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au